Since the show launched in 1977, the Brit Awards has hosted some of the world’s biggest artists on stages at venues around London, including Alexandra Palace and Earl’s Court. The ceremony was moved to the O2 Arena in 2010.
Archive images, which you can view in the gallery below, show some of the event’s most memorable moments, such as The Spice Girls performing in 1998, and Ed Sheeran picking up an early award in 2012.
Click through the gallery below to see 40 years of the Brit Awards…
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Geri Halliwell performs with the Spice Girls at the BRIT Awards, 1997
JM Enternational
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Girls Aloud accept an award
John Marshall
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Avril Lavigne performs
John Marshall
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The Fugees perform ‘Killing Me Softly’ at the Brits, 1997
JM Enternational
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Hugh Jackman sings a medley from his film The Greatest Showman, 2019
Photo: JM Enternational
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The BRIT Awards 1996
JM Enternational
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Geri Halliwell performs ‘Bag it Up’ at the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Florence and the Machine
John Marshall
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JM Enternational
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Geri Halliwell performing ‘Bag It Up’ at the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Florence and the Machine
John Marshall
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Five and Queen performing ‘We Will Rock You’, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Alicia Keys performs with Gwen Stefani and Missy Elliot
John Marshall
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Jamie Cullum performs with Katie Melua
John Marshall
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Beyonce
John Marshall
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Sugababes
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Emile Sande
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Ellie Goulding
AP
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AP
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AP
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Ed Sheeran, 2012
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Dua Lipa performs ‘New Rules’ at the 2018 Brit Awards
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Dizzee Rascal accepts an award
John Marshall,
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Dizzee Rascal with Florence Welch
John Marshall
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Davina McCall hosts the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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David Bowie
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Dave Grohl accepts an award
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Coldplay
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Cheryl Cole
John Marshall
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Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa, 2019, with their awards for ‘One Kiss’
Photo: JM Enternational
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Bruno Mars
AP
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Estelle and The Ting Tings
John Marshall
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Florence Welch
John Marshall
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Duffy
John Marshall
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AP
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AP
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B*Witched at the 1999 Brit Awards
Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Amy Winehouse
John Marshall
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Rich The Kid during a performance by Kendrick Lamar at the 2018 Brits
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Kelly Clarkson
John Marshall
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Katy Perry
John Marshall
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AP
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Justin Timberlake and Kylie Minogue
John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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John Marshall
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The Spice Girls backstage at the Brits, 1998
Photo: JM Enternational
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Robbie Williams performing with Tom Jones
Photo: JM Enternational
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Method Man with Sharleen Spiteri
Photo: JM Enternational
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Fleetwood Mac, Brit Awrds 1998
Photo: JM Enternational
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Cleopatra
Photo: JM Enternational
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Shola Ama and Dave Stewart
Photo: JM Enternational
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All Saints
Photo: JM Enternational
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Jessie J
John Marshall, AP
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John Marshall,
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Jess Glynne
Photo: JM Enternational
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Mis-Teeq
Photo: JM Enternational
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Prince
JM Enternational
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Kylie Minogue accepts a Best International Female Solo Artist award, 2002
Photo: JM Enternational
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Cee Lo Green performs with Paloma Faith
John Marshall,
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Photo: JM Enternational
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One Direction, Brit Awards 2012
John Marshall
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Oasis accepting an award at the Brits, 1996
JM Enternational
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Mark Ronson and Ellie Goulding
John Marshall,
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John Marshall
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Lorde
AP
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Jack Whitehall interviews Little Mix
Photo: JM Enternational
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Lily Allen
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Lady Gaga
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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James Corden with Kylie Minogue and Matthew Horne
John Marshall
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AP
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Amy Winehouse
John Marshall
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AP
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John Marshall,
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Stormzy
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Anastasia performs “Bad Girls’ with Jamiroquai
Photo: JM Enternational
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Sam Smith
AP
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John Marshall,
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John Marshall
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John Marshall,
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Ricky Martin
Photo: JM Enternational
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Sugababes
Photo: JM Enternational
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Jay-Z duets with Alicia Keys
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Adele
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John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Noel Gallagher and Kate Moss
AP
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Haim
AP
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John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Miss Dynamite
John Marshall
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Whitney Houston
Photo: JM Enternational
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Steps
Photo: JM Enternational
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Natalie Imbruglia
Photo: JM Enternational
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Eurythmics
Photo: JM Enternational
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David Bowie
Photo: JM Enternational
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Cher
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All Saints
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Spice Girls
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Prince
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Madonna
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Cyndie Lauper
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Damon Albarn of Blur
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RuPaul with Kylie Minogue
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Peter Gabriel
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John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Eminem
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Destiny’s Child at the Brit Awards, 2001
Photo: JM Enternational
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Westlife
Photo: JM Enternational
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Destiny’s Child perform on stage during The 21st BRIT Awards with Mastercard, Earls Court 2, London, UK, Monday 26 Feb 2001
Photo: JM Enternational
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Spice Girls perform on stage during The 20th BRIT Awards, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, UK, Friday 03 Mar 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Geri Halliwell performs with the Spice Girls at the BRIT Awards, 1997
JM Enternational
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Girls Aloud accept an award
John Marshall
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Avril Lavigne performs
John Marshall
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The Fugees perform ‘Killing Me Softly’ at the Brits, 1997
JM Enternational
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Hugh Jackman sings a medley from his film The Greatest Showman, 2019
Photo: JM Enternational
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The BRIT Awards 1996
JM Enternational
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Geri Halliwell performs ‘Bag it Up’ at the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Florence and the Machine
John Marshall
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JM Enternational
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JM Enternational
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Geri Halliwell performing ‘Bag It Up’ at the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Florence and the Machine
John Marshall
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Five and Queen performing ‘We Will Rock You’, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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Alicia Keys performs with Gwen Stefani and Missy Elliot
John Marshall
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Jamie Cullum performs with Katie Melua
John Marshall
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Beyonce
John Marshall
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Sugababes
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Emile Sande
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Ellie Goulding
AP
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AP
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AP
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Ed Sheeran, 2012
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Dua Lipa performs ‘New Rules’ at the 2018 Brit Awards
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Dizzee Rascal accepts an award
John Marshall,
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Dizzee Rascal with Florence Welch
John Marshall
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Davina McCall hosts the 20th Brit Awards, 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
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David Bowie
JM Enternational
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Dave Grohl accepts an award
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Coldplay
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Cheryl Cole
John Marshall
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Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa, 2019, with their awards for ‘One Kiss’
Photo: JM Enternational
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Bruno Mars
AP
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Estelle and The Ting Tings
John Marshall
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Florence Welch
John Marshall
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Duffy
John Marshall
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AP
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AP
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B*Witched at the 1999 Brit Awards
Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Amy Winehouse
John Marshall
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Rich The Kid during a performance by Kendrick Lamar at the 2018 Brits
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Kelly Clarkson
John Marshall
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Katy Perry
John Marshall
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AP
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AP
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AP
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Justin Timberlake and Kylie Minogue
John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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John Marshall
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The Spice Girls backstage at the Brits, 1998
Photo: JM Enternational
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Robbie Williams performing with Tom Jones
Photo: JM Enternational
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Method Man with Sharleen Spiteri
Photo: JM Enternational
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Fleetwood Mac, Brit Awrds 1998
Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Cleopatra
Photo: JM Enternational
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Shola Ama and Dave Stewart
Photo: JM Enternational
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All Saints
Photo: JM Enternational
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JM Enternational
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Jessie J
John Marshall, AP
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John Marshall,
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Jess Glynne
Photo: JM Enternational
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Mis-Teeq
Photo: JM Enternational
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Prince
JM Enternational
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Kylie Minogue accepts a Best International Female Solo Artist award, 2002
Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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JM Enternational
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Cee Lo Green performs with Paloma Faith
John Marshall,
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Photo: JM Enternational
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One Direction, Brit Awards 2012
John Marshall
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Oasis accepting an award at the Brits, 1996
JM Enternational
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Mark Ronson and Ellie Goulding
John Marshall,
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John Marshall
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Lorde
AP
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Jack Whitehall interviews Little Mix
Photo: JM Enternational
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Lily Allen
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Lady Gaga
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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James Corden with Kylie Minogue and Matthew Horne
John Marshall
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JM Enternational
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AP
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Amy Winehouse
John Marshall
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AP
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John Marshall,
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Stormzy
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Anastasia performs “Bad Girls’ with Jamiroquai
Photo: JM Enternational
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Sam Smith
AP
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John Marshall,
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John Marshall
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John Marshall,
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Ricky Martin
Photo: JM Enternational
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Sugababes
Photo: JM Enternational
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Jay-Z duets with Alicia Keys
John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Adele
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John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Noel Gallagher and Kate Moss
AP
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Haim
AP
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John Marshall
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John Marshall
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John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Miss Dynamite
John Marshall
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Whitney Houston
Photo: JM Enternational
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Steps
Photo: JM Enternational
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Natalie Imbruglia
Photo: JM Enternational
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Eurythmics
Photo: JM Enternational
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David Bowie
Photo: JM Enternational
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Cher
Photo: JM Enternational
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All Saints
Photo: JM Enternational
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Spice Girls
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Prince
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Madonna
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Cyndie Lauper
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Damon Albarn of Blur
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RuPaul with Kylie Minogue
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Peter Gabriel
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John Marshall
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Eminem
Photo: JM Enternational
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Destiny’s Child at the Brit Awards, 2001
Photo: JM Enternational
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Photo: JM Enternational
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Westlife
Photo: JM Enternational
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Destiny’s Child perform on stage during The 21st BRIT Awards with Mastercard, Earls Court 2, London, UK, Monday 26 Feb 2001
Photo: JM Enternational
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Spice Girls perform on stage during The 20th BRIT Awards, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, UK, Friday 03 Mar 2000
Photo: JM Enternational
Others images show late artists including Prince and David Bowie accepting awards and putting on live performances.
The Brits at 40 will also share clips from some of the most talked-about moments, from Mick Fleetwood and Sam Fox’s hosting disaster to Stormzy’s condemnation of Theresa May over the Grenfell tragedy during a 2018 performance.
This year’s ceremony will include performances by Rising Star winner Celeste (also named as the winner of the BBC Sound Of poll), Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Mabel and Stormzy.
The Brit Awards take place on Tuesday 18 February at the O2 Arena in London.